Portrait of James Hamilton, Third Marquess of Hamilton
Anthony van Dyck (1599–1641)
c. 1640
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James Hamilton (1606–1649), third Marquess of Hamilton, and from 1643 first Duke of Hamilton, was one of the most faithful friends of Charles I of England. He was royal sword-bearer at the monarch’s coronation, later becoming Gentleman of the Bedchamber and between 1628 and 1644 Master of the Horse. In 1631 he commanded Scottish auxiliary forces in Germany at the side of King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden, and during the English Civil War he led Royalist troops into battle on many occasions. In 1648 he led the Scottish army into England and was defeated at the Battle of Preston by Cromwell. Only a few weeks after the execution of Charles I the Duke of Hamilton was beheaded in London. The painting is listed in the 1638 inventory of the Hamilton Collection at Lennoxlove under No. 288 as “One peice of my lords, at length in armor, of Sr. Anthony Vandyke”. Athony van Dyck arrived in London on 2 April 1632. There he painted portraits of the king and his family as well as receiving commissions from the English aristocracy. Van Dyck ran a large studio and usually worked on several portraits at the same time. One of the last portraits executed by van Dyck in England was this likeness of James Hamilton. Van Dyck’s working method can be seen clearly in this painting: the darker aura around the head marks the area that van Dyck evidently painted during the first sitting together with the head. The armour and the landscape in the background were then added at later stages of the working process. The armour with its soft metallic reflections is rendered with masterful precision, whereas the indeterminate landscape background has been rapidly painted, serving merely as a setting against which the subject is being impressively presented.
- Material/technique
- oil on canvas
- Measurements
- 219 × 129 cm
- Acquisition
- acquired in 1988 by Prince Franz Josef II von und zu Liechtenstein
- Artists/makers/authors
- Anthony van Dyck
- Inventory number
- GE 64
- Provenance
-
1638 James, 1st Duke of Hamilton; before 1988 Angus
Hamilton; acquired in 1988 from the 15th Duke of Hamilton, via
Harari & Johns, London
- Iconography
- male portrait, identified
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J. Smith, A Catalogue raisonné of the works of the most eminent Dutch, Flemisch and French painters, Bd. 3, Bd. Bd. 3, London 1831, S. 168, Kat. 583
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Ausst.-Kat. Van Dyck. Paintings, Arthur K. Wheelock, Jr., Susan J. Barnes, Julius S. Held (Hg.), National Gallery of Art, Washington 11.11.1990–24.2.1991, erschienen Washington–London 1990, S. 323-324, Nr. 87, Abb. Farbabbildung S. 325
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Johann Kräftner, Andrea Stockhammer, Liechtenstein Museum Wien. Die Sammlungen, Johann Kräftner (Hg.), München–Berlin–London–New York 2004, Abb. S. 20
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Ausst.-Kat. Der Fürst als Sammler. Neuerwerbungen unter Hans-Adam II. von und zu Liechtenstein, Johann Kräftner (Hg.), Liechtenstein Museum, Wien 12.2.2010–24.8.2010, erschienen Wien 2010, Abb. S. 204
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Johann Kräftner, The Treasures of the Liechtensteins. Palaces, Paintings, Sculptures, Vienna 2013
